Break My Mask
by Eion1783
Summary: Her quest is finally completed. The Shikon no Tama is finally whole, but without the power of the Shikon to guide her into the past, the well lost its use. Now, stuck in the future, how will she be able to cope up with her loss? (edited)
1. --Prologue--

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and Free!-Iwatobi Swim Club are not mine. They belong to their respective authors.

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-Prologue-

Inside the well house of the Higurashi Shrine, by the middle of the night, a voice of a young girl drifts through the walls. The majestic moonlight passing through the cracks on the roof gave the well house an elegant aura that was instantly lost to the anguished voice that could heard.

Kagome was desperately trying to dig through the hard soil that was on the base of the well. Her fingers were clawing on the ground, hoping that if she dug enough, she might be able to pass back through time. Her bloody fingertips continue to paint the soil a deep red.

"NO! No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" Kagome screamed repeatedly. "Please… please work. Let pass through again. Let me go back!" Tears were pouring down from her eyes. The vibrant sapphires were now reduced to almost a dull gray, clouded with despair.

She continued to claw on the ground, not having much improvement due to her injured hands. She felt neither pain nor hurt from them, but felt it grow from inside of her. She continued clawing, wailing, and pleading for the well to open up. To let her see the man she loves, her best friend and sister, her brothers, and most importantly, her kit, her son. Well over an hour of hysterical pleas, she fell from exhaustion. The last thing she saw was a pink jewel that managed to shine so bright inside the dreary well. Before consumed by darkness, she managed a bitter-angry scowl towards the innocent-looking jewel, '_If it weren't for you…_ '.

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A/N: I know that it's very short, but it's still the Prologue, and I promise you that Chapter 1 will be a LOT longer. Don't forget to review. It is very much, appreciated. ^^ Also, I am very sorry because there had been an error when this chapter was posted, so thank you very much for the guest who informed me. :)


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and Free!-Iwatobi Swim Club are not mine. They belong to their respective authors.

Chapter 1

_Drriiiiiiiiiinng…_

Kagome woke up to the blaring sound of her alarm clock. She sighed as she turned it off. "Another day, huh?...". She sluggishly got up from her bed and proceeded to the bathroom to brush her teeth. As she looked at the mirror, she observed her face. Dull eyes that held no life stared back at her. Her skin was pale, abnormally so, and under her eyes, black crescents stood out. Her body was so thin, bony, in fact she looked like a walking dead.

Turning on the faucet, she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Upon returning into her bedroom, she proceeded to change into casual clothes. She had no desire to go to school or go out of the house. She would rather stay inside her room all day.

_growl~.._

'_I guess that's not happening, huh?'_ she thought as she looked down on her stomach.

Now, dressed in shorts and a black shirt, she went downstairs. She could hear her mother cooking, and her Grandpa talking again about one of his famous stories, while she saw Souta was feeding Buyo. Upon entry in the kitchen, all noise seemed to stop. The three occupants stared at Kagome with something akin to shock and pity. This was why she just wanted to stay locked up in her room. Ever since they found out that she will not be able to use the well again and return to the past, all they gave her was looks of pity. Sure, her mom continued giving her encouraging words, and Souta and her Grandpa tried to take her mind away from the incident, but the pitying stares that they gave her negated all those acts of _kindness_. Fuck this, only Buyo seemed to be the one not acting strange in this house, and he's a freaking animal!

With indifference, she walked to the cupboard and took out the bread and the jam. The silence was nerve-wracking and the only sound was the sizzling of oil and Buyo's occasional meow. Fed up, Kagome mustered her voice to say something.

"Ohayo." Her tone was flat and cold. Colder than she expected.

"O-ohayo, Kagome-chan." Her mother stuttered as she turned to her cooking. "Are you sure that you'll only have that" pertaining to her bread and jam, "as your breakfast? I'm cooking something right now."

Kagome bit back her tongue to keep her from saying _"I can see that."_ Instead, she just nodded, her bangs covering her eyes, as continued to chew on her food. Her mom's cooking has always been great but when she eats it, her mind kept coming back to the times when she and Inuyasha would eat at her home whenever he comes to visit. Then the image of her family's pity towards her makes her want to puke everything out. So as much as possible, she doesn't want to get near her mother's home-cooked meals, much less eat it. She was brought out from her musings by a cough.

"Um, Kagome dear, your school called." Kagome looked at her mother. Her eyes must have been devoid because her mother flinched when their gazes met. "Since, you have too many absences, they're… they're dropping you out." She trailed off. Honestly, Kagome wasn't surprised. She was more surprised that they dropped her out only now.

It was silent for a few moments before her mother said, "But don't worry dear, I happened to inquire you to another school." _'What?!' "_Although it's a bit far from Tokyo, so I think we'll have to get an you apartment-"

"Wait!" Kagome was seething. What does her mother mean by getting her an apartment?! Did that mean she'll have to move out of the house? Away from the shrine? Away from Inuyasha!? Had her mother gone MAD?! "Why am I moving?"

"Well, dear, the school's in Iwatobi and it's pretty far from here. It's by the ocea-"

"Why am I moving away from the shrine?!" she shouted.

"Kagome! Do not give me that tone, young lady." Her mother told her in an equally strained voice. "You are going to transfer to another school, and you are moving out of the house, and actually try to live a life that's outside the past!" her mother actually shouted the last part. "And that's final."

By then, the kitchen was empty besides the both of them. "You can't do this to me." Kagome's voice was barely a whisper but her mother heard it. Her eyes softened as she looked at her child who was trying not to shed any tears. "You can't do this mom. What if the well opens while I'm gone? What if Inuyasha comes back? You can't do this. You can't keep me away from the well."

"Honey, please understand." She hugged her child. "You need to forget about them. They're gone. I know it's hard but please Kagome, try to live for yourself this time. Try to find new friends and maybe, even a new love."

"NO! No, no! I won't forget about them. They're also my family. I won't forget about them. I won't!" Kagome shouted as she broke free from her mother's grasp and ran out of the house.

"Kagome, Kagome!"

"Leave her for a bit, Kun-loon. Give her some time to take this all in." Kun-loon looked at the doorway and saw her father. His face was hard and his voice didn't contain the usual accent that it has. Kun-loon nodded dejectedly as she thought about her daughter and how she broke again when she told her the news._ 'Kami-sama, please help my daughter.'_

Kagome ran and ran. She blindly took off from their house. Her mind was reeling. She could only think about how her mom could do this to her. _'How could she? She knows that I can't go away. I can't leave the house. I can't leave the well. So why? Why would she do this?'_ Turning around the corner, she stopped by a park. The one she used to play at when she was a kid.

Sitting on a lone bench, she tried to gather her emotions as best as she could, but a girl could only take so much. Amidst the isolated park, Kagome poured out her heart once again. All her emotions ever since that night came out like a hastening river. She cried for the family that she wouldn't be able to see anymore, she cried for her son, she cried for her love, she cried for her heartbreak, she cried for her mom, her brother, her grandpa, but most of all, she cried for herself and what she has been through.

Memories of her adventures in the feudal era came rushing back to the forefront. She badly missed them. Her daily bickering with Inuyasha, her night baths and girl talk with Sango, Miroku's lecherous tendencies, her lessons with Kaede, her playing with Rin and Shippo, and even Sesshoumaru and Kouga, she missed them all so badly.

For almost the whole day, Kagome was in the park, alone. No one came during the morning, nor during noon, and it was already sunset, yet the park was empty except for her. She welcomed the solitude for once. It gave her some time to think, to reminisce, and to cry freely. It gave her time away from false concern and pitying looks.

But Kagome is tired of all those shit. She's tired of breaking over and over again. She's tired of crying and crying. That's why Kagome decided that she needed to change.

"_Tomorrow, I'll be different. No one will come close to me. I won't let anyone come close to me. I won't let anyone break me. I won't cry. I… I'll never forget any of you. I won't let anyone make me forget you."_

As the last of the sun's rays sank, Kagome stood up and went back to the shrine. If anyone saw her right now and saw the person, she was hours ago, they would undoubtedly see the change in her. Eyes that were dull were now back to their sapphire hues that shone brightly, but instead of its usual zest, her eyes were cold, too cold for a child of 17 years. And thus, Kagome began to web her mask. A mask to let other people stay away from her, and a mask to make Kagome stay away from them.

A/N: Chapter 1 finished! Although it's still pretty short, hope you liked it. Reviews are welcome~ ^^ Oh, Makoto and Haruka might appear in the second or third chapter. And sorry for the grammatical errors and typos(if there are any). Tata~


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